Come celebrate 20 years of Horizons Unlimited Travelers Meetings with us!

NOTE DATE CHANGE: Apr 14-17, 2022
That's BEFORE the fire and heat season!

We're very pleased to announce that the 12th HU California Travelers Meeting is happening at Yosemite! Flip Morton is the local host, ably assisted by Craig Haggart, Karina Guerrieri and a great team of volunteers! Jeff Stewart is the mastermind behind our awesome new skills course - a huge hit and we're expecting even more challenges this year!

Mark your calendars, online registration is open now!
https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ev...gistration.php

Don't forget to Tick the "Volunteer" box while you're at it!

And if you would like to present, please fill out the HU Events Presenter Application.

We'd love to have you help us make this Travelers Meeting one to remember - in a good way!

We hope you are enjoying the summer, riding as much as you can, and finding loads of adventures in your own backyard. Take lots of pics and plan to tell some new stories at HU California 2022.

"That was SO MUCH fun!! When can we do it again??"

__________________
Susan Johnson

Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Hello everyone! I just joined the HU and I am planning on attending this years event in California. I could use some advise on where to stay and what to do while in the area. Also I will be riding from the East across the Nevada desert if any locals would like to travel this path let me know. Thanks!

I just signed up for my second HU meeting in Mariposa. I will ride from San Diego and after the meeting head to Reno and then ride off to start my retirement! Hope to meet some fellow traveller's for this journey.

Hi Spindrift - the CA Horizons meeting is held at the Mariposa Fairgrounds, about a mile [south] from the town centre of Mariposa (on scenic hwy 49). There are a number of hotel and b&b accommodation options in town, but equally attendees of the Horizons events are encouraged to camp at the event venue itself, where there is catering and evening entertainment - both scheduled and impromptu - which as all part of the experience.

If you are not familiar with the area, Mariposa is south west of the entrance to Yosemite National Park - I trust you'll find there is more than enough to see and do in the local area outside and either side of the main event days. I'd get on the google machine and see what takes your fancy.

Hope to see you there!

Jenny x

Thank you for the info on this years event, the reason I ask is that I haven't been traveling much the last few years and I'm unsure of my camping gear and what I can live with and without. So I may look into a nearby hotel for this year but the catering looks great and a real timesaver from running into town and missing out on a meeting. Hope to see some updates as the event is coming up quick!
See you all soon!

Scott

Hi everyone, I am not new to motorcycle riding just new to this group, I'm excited to be meeting some new people and sharing some stories.

With just a couple of months to go now, I'm excited to be heading back to Mariposa this year (finally!) and catching up with old friends and hopefully making a few new ones too!

I've also committed to a couple (technically three, as one is a two-parter) of presentations which I'm confident will be of interest to attendees - and which I trust you will find both informative and entertaining...



The first is an Audio Visual presentation (that's a fancy way of saying a video/slideshow with a funky soundtrack) featuring highlights from the western side of the United States - including a brief history of the Trans-America Trail, and hints and tips for your own route planning in this part of the country:

“The Western TAT’n Back” (The best of the West, and the evolution of the Trans-America Trail)



A unique celebration of dual-sport and adventure riding on the west side of the United States, this audio-visual presentation is guaranteed to inspire fellow travellers who are aiming to explore this part of the country using the roads and trails less travelled.

Highlights include the forests of the Pacific Northwest, the red rocks of Utah, the epic Colorado Rockies, and the unforgiving Nevada desert, as Jenny and her travelling companion Juan Browne (host of the popular Blancolirio YouTube channel) navigate their way from the Oregon coast to the heart of the country and back again - following their own interpretation of the original and current Trans-America Trail.

There will also be plenty of opportunity to discuss the evolution of the ‘official’ route, together with further tips and suggestions to help you plan your own multi-day cross-country adventure, on two or four wheels.



My second presentation ought to be of interest to anyone who struggles with packing for an extended overland trip - fundamentally identifying those items which ought to be considered essential, and those you can probably do without:

“Double or Nothing…” (Packing light for life on the road and trail)


photo. as the Friends' theme-song goes: "That's all you need for a day, a week, a month, or even a year..."

Updated annually, Jenny's popular slide-show presentation and practical demonstration of how to pack light for life on and off the road when solo adventure motorcycling.

This follows an interactive discussion format, and questions are encouraged throughout the session.

Topics include: bike preparation, tools, camping equipment, electronics and navigation, and personal effects.

The idea is to inspire participants to really consider what is essential when loading up their bikes, and what is effectively unnecessary - packing efficiently so that next time you'll almost certainly be able to leave something at home.



I'm also really excited to be able to follow my Packing Light presentation with more of a hands-on demonstration with the introduction of my brand new 'travel' bike for 2022 - a Honda CRF300L - suitably modified with what I consider are the most appropriate parts and accessories to enhance this already very capable dual-sport platform, into the 'ultimate' backwoods exploration bike:

“A Serow for the 21st Century” (A hands-on demonstration of the Honda CRF300L for overland adventuring)

Jenny presents her brand-new light-weight all-terrain travel bike, built around the latest Honda CRF300L platform with a focus on an even more minimalist approach solo overland adventure riding.

With the introduction of the Honda CRF300 series in 2021, Jenny worked together with Rally-Raid products in the UK to upgrade the weaker and budget elements of these affordable dual-sport motorcycles, making them even more capable for overland travel with an off-road bias.

Jenny has purposely chosen to optimise the manageability of her personal bike in tougher terrain; and in turn this example ought to be particularly interesting to those riders who tend to struggle with the taller seat height and heavier weight of larger 'adventure' motorcycles.



Finally, I'm also planning a couple of informal ride-outs, should anyone wish to join me exploring the trails and minor highways in the local area adjacent to Yosemite National Park.

Hope to see you there!

Jenny x

Riding from Phoenix to HU California Travelers Meeting leaving ~April 12. Probably Phoenix to Wickenburg to Kingman to Barstow (overnight) then on to Maricopa. Anyone want to connect?

Well fortunately my new CRF300L finally arrived at the dealer last week, and I've been busy prepping it with a series of upgrade parts and my own customisations to make it more suitable for 'extreme' backwoods exploring!


photo. twins! - almost (eventually they will both have the same lower suspension and 17/19" wheels fitted) - the initial stages of my new 'adventure light' bike prep are underway.

Now of course I'm not expecting everyone to want to ride their 'travel' bike on Rubicon Trail style terrain of course, but I trust that at least some of my considered modifications will also appeal - particularly to those shorter/older/less experienced off-road riders amongst you... I'll have the bike on display as part of my 'Packing Light' slide-show presentation/discussion seminar on the schedule over the weekend...

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Jenny x

Well the even must be over now - anybody want to give us all a taste of what went on?

__________________
You will have to do without pocket handkerchiefs, and a great many other things, before we reach our journey's end, Bilbo Baggins. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you. The world is ahead.